Research On Bi Of Jade From Tombs In Han Dynasty

Bi is one kind of Chinese ancient jade which was unearthed in the Neolithic Age and used for a very long period of time till Qing Dynasty. Han Dynasty was the prime time for the development of Bi as characterized by multiple textures, delicate carving and exquisite workmanship. Meanwhile, against the backdrop of Han's grand unification, there were also some cultural limitations in terms of the use of Bi.This paper focuses on the Bi unearthed from the tomb of Han Dynasty. Based on massive archaeological materials, the paper generalizes the laws of the evolution of Bi's styles in Han Dynasty by means of typological analysis. Furthermore, the paper also explores the different periods and areas in regard to the use of Bi. In time, the development of Bi can be divided into four stages:early and middle period and late period of the Western Han Dynasty, early period and late period of the Eastern Han Dynasty. In space, there were popular-used areas and unpopular-used areas. The culture of the Han Dynasty which was represented by the Bi is the highlight of the paper. First, from the status of people who wore Bi, the paper demonstrates the rank differences when it comes to the kind of jade buried in the tomb and discovered that the ranks were classified by the title of nobility. Second, the paper elaborates the relationship between the kinds of funerary jades and the views on life and death in Han Dynasty. From the carving, layout and style of the Bi in Han Dynasty, it symbolized long life, wonderland, and immortal and so on which were all good wishes to the dead.